This one love
by tigerchick5
Summary: After three years, can they bridge the gap between them and find love? ZhugeYueYing. Rated R for language and possible violence in later chapters.
1. It begins

**Disclaimer: I do not own the actual characters Zhuge Liang or Yue Ying. They belong to Koei games. Li Shen _IS_ a character of my own creation to use in the plot of this particular chapter. Not sure if you'll see her again or not.**

**Authors Note: First of all, this story, while resembling actual instances I hope, is not totally based on history or the Koei game. This story is basically what happens outside the battlefield with Zhuge and Ying, so there will be little to no battle action. I set this story in partially modern times, so if something seems out of the time period to you, look over it, I did it on purpose.**

**I have read many fan fictions about Zhuge and Ying, and none of them save one or two have ever had the two of them actually in love. It's usually Zhuge being an ass while Ying suffers. Which is a total load of horseshit if you read the biography stories. If you want to call me a liar, go to this link ?pageprofiles.all** **read the bio under her name, and try calling me one again after that. Because that biography says pretty much that Ying died very soon after her husband did of grief at the loss of Zhuge, ha! **

**So I don't want any flames telling me that he was a bastard, I don't want any flames telling me that they didn't belong together or didn't love each other. If you don't like the fact that I made Zhuge a good man and decided to write them happily married, DO NOT read this story, go the hell away and get your kicks elsewhere, because there are PLENTY other people that like to hate Zhuge. If my writing technique is lacking and you have suggestions, by all means, flame in that manner, but I am ignoring anything that questions my motives behind the story or the way I decided to tell things. I like Zhuge and I'm not changing that, so don't even try. Well, on to the story. Enjoy! **

**Chapter 1**

Yue Ying sighed inwardly as she heard the feminine voice at the front of the tent talking to her husband. That particular woman had been trying to weasel her way in as Zhuge's second wife almost the entire three years they had been married. Ying didn't know if she was a maid or one of the harem girls or what, she'd never had any contact with the feminine women that ran around the place. Not because she didn't know how to keep a home.... no, she was exceptionally talented at keeping things organized in a house and cooking and cleaning...she'd proven that. She just much preferred being a warrior. She just wondered how long her husband would resist the woman before he gave in and took on someone more appealing than she herself obviously was to him.

Li Shen had sworn to herself when she started out of her tent this morning that she would convince Master Zhuge she would make a better wife than that ice princess warrior he had already married three years ago. True, Shen hadn't in the ten years since Lord Liu Bei employed her seen any of the maids or harem girls convince Master Zhuge to sleep with them … not for lack of several trying, however. Even before this Yue Ying came along and he married her they tried and didn't get anywhere, but that was no matter to her, she'd dance naked in front of him if it'd get her in bed with the gorgeous man...even if just once. But she would make sure it wasn't just once…. after all, this Yue Ying obviously hadn't been giving the man anything as far as physical attention … once Shen showed him what it was like to be with a real, responsive woman, she was sure he wouldn't want to go back to his strumpet.

"How goes your day, Master Zhuge?", Shen asked as he parted the tent flap to let her pass into the first room, moving as close to him as she dared for now.

"The day goes well considering it has just begun, Lady Li Shen, but what brings you here?" Zhuge asked, knowing where this was going and dreading the outcome.

He'd been avoiding these women for years, and he had already listened to this one innocently enquire as to whether he would ever consider taking on a second wife. He had no such intentions, it was just a matter of convincing this woman of that.

"My days would go much better if I had you to wake up to every morning, if I may be so forward, Master Liang", Shen said as she moved even closer to him. Deciding to be bold, she started tracing a finger down the front of his robes, wondering if he wore anything under them. She'd know soon enough.

Ying almost slammed the armor plate she was repairing down on the table when she heard the innocent statement from the woman. Why, the nerve of the woman! She _knew_ Ying was inside the tent too, and yet here she was, seducing her husband!

But then Ying started thinking about the last three years since she married Zhuge. Never once had he tried to touch her as a husband, never once had they been affectionate with each other. They even slept in the same bed and nothing … maybe he really didn't see her as more than a warrior … maybe the rumors were right and no man could love her. She just wished she knew why he married her … no, she knew, he married her spear and her mind, nothing else.

Zhuge was getting tired of the increasing forwardness of these women. Even if any of them did these things for anything more than sex (and he knew that wasn't it, they just wanted the gossiping rights as his lover), it wouldn't sway him. But this was getting to be too much.

"Don't you think you are being too forward with a married man, Lady Shen? I am, after all, the husband of Yue Ying", he said, knowing his wife could hear what was going on and praying she didn't take it the wrong way.

"Oh no, I don't think so … in fact, I think I haven't been forward enough. Everyone knows you just share the bed with you wife. You haven't been with her physically, as a husband should, the whole time you've been married to her. Why not take on a second woman that could actually please you in that manner instead of suffering while she goes on being the brick of ice she seems to have become since you said your vows?" Shen asked, letting her hand start to venture inside the fold of his robe. "I could please you in ways she'd never conceive with her cold heart." This last was said in a seductive murmur as her fingers brushed the buttons on his undershirt. Damn, there were more clothes under these.

"You are stepping out of line, madam," Zhuge said quietly, gently taking the woman's hand away from his clothes and stepping back away from her, narrowing his gaze slightly so that she knew she'd gone to far. "I have never had an interest in any of you, nor will I ever, especially now. I am where I want and choose to be, and this is where I will stay, and if I need to remind you of who I am and what I'm capable of doing I will. If you value your employment with my Lord's wife, you will not come back here again."

Shen flushed at the threat, knowing very well that Master Liang could see that she was sent elsewhere, places where the pay was much less and the risks from the men were far greater. No, one night in his bed was not worth all of that, as it was clear he preferred his ice princess. "No, Master Liang, you need not remind me … I will be on my way, good day to you," she said as she left the tent, finally accepting defeat.

Zhuge sighed with relief. _Maybe the lot of them will leave me in peace to try and salvage my marriage now_, he thought to himself.

"That sounded like it went rather well, my husband," Ying said dryly as she moved into that part of the tent. "Why not take her offer? She would do you some good." She didn't know why, but she held her breath while she waited for his answer.

"All she wants is for a man of power to plant himself between her legs so she can tie him to her, Ying. Women like her would try seducing our lord if it weren't treason to do so with him married and not wanting other female companions." He wondered what it would take for him to convince her that she was what he wanted.

"You are not our lord though. You can have whomever you like"

"Except for the one person I want, who, it seems, does not feel the same way," He said, meeting her eyes.

She had beautiful eyes, his wife … so determined and thoughtful in battle, so caring and compassionate when she was helping the doctors tend the wounded after battles. Her eyes were one of the things besides her quiet beauty that drew him to her.

He'd gone to her father's plantation following stories of her astronomical knowledge, hoping to gain her assistance. He'd gained a wife along with her assistance, for he had made a deal with her … she wanted to see battle, so they would be married so that she would be allowed to fight alongside him. In exchange, she would share her knowledge so that they could help their lord on his road to restoring the Han. Zhuge had never factored on falling in love with the woman like he did, as they hadn't known each other prior to the ceremony. But he found that the more he knew about her, the more she shared … the more he wanted her to be his. He just wished she felt the same. But having her there was better than not at all, he figured, and he didn't think he could live with that thought now that he'd gotten to know his wife.

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Surely he wasn't speaking of her, he'd never made any indication of love for her since they married. But what if he was? She stood there silently; staring back at her husband, trying to figure out what to do next … and she could have speared herself for it when he uttered his next words.

"And, since I'm not being corrected, I will assume my words truth," Zhuge said quietly as he broke his gaze to leave. That was another thing he loved … she wasn't afraid to look him in the eye, and didn't get flushed like most females.

"B-but," she cursed herself for her hesitation, hating that she was afraid of being rejected.

"Yes?" Zhuge asked, half turning back towards her to show he was listening.

"I…" she sighed softly and looked away, embarrassed that she couldn't just talk normally about this subject.

Zhuge smiled slightly, hoping her hesitation meant that there was at least a small measure of feeling in her heart for him. One could hope, couldn't he?

"Its okay, Ying … I must go to meet with our lord before the coming battle tomorrow, we can discuss this after dinner or whenever your more comfortable."

Ying nodded slowly and watched him leave the tent, then went into the other part of their tent and sat heavily on the edge of their bed with another sigh, cursing herself still for not having the guts to say anything to him. If only she could be sure he really cared …

She shook herself out of her contemplation and went back to working on her armor. She shouldn't be thinking of such foolish notions with a battle coming tomorrow.

**Please review and let me know what you think so far :)**


	2. Injury

**Author's Note: Thanks to Guan and HarborRat for your reviews. **

**_Guan:_ I have no problem with Kong Ming being cocky, in my opinion he had a right to be considering all the things he did. I'm not sure as yet whether Li Shen is going to stay in the story, since it is supposed to be centered on Zhuge and Ying, but we'll see, my muses might get a different idea later on. I had posted the link in my first disclaimer, but I'll post it again here for you to go look at ?pageprofiles.shu.yueying**

**And it states there that Zhuge 'sought to marry her because of her goodness, and they had studied together for all of their lives'. The studying part is not carried into my story obviously, but it shows their bond. That bio also states that Ying only lived a short time longer than her husband.**

**_HarborRat:_ Thank you for your support. I understand the "what if" opinions, I've actually run through a few RPG scenarios where he's the bad guy type, and it just rubs me the wrong way I guess. And I'm not saying anyone has the wrong opinion if they hate Zhuge, it's just an opinion I don't share, and if someone decides not to like that, they don't have to read my stories.**

**Disclaimer: Starting with this chapter and continuing to the end of this story, any character that I do not state as 'original' or 'of my creation' is a game character and is not owned by me, but by Koei games. **

Zhuge rubbed his right temple absently as he tried to listen to the reports being made after the recent battle. Zhang Fei, when he wasn't drunk, was painfully long winded, and it was Zhuge's misfortune that he was the one addressing Lord Liu Bei at present. He wished the man forgot as much of the human language sober as he did drunk.

And while he wished for the gods to suddenly strike the man mute, he started thinking on what happened the day before. He hadn't gotten to talk with his wife after dinner yesterday because the units were sent on the march for the enemy camp and his unit and Ying's weren't close enough together. The battlefield wasn't the place for that kind of talk anyway. He couldn't help but wonder, though, what she had wanted to say but seemed so hesitant about.

He was snapped out of his musings by a new voice and looked up to find Zhang Fei had finished his tirade and it was his wife's second in command delivering her report, not her. He was just starting to wonder where she had disappeared to when the sub-general started the report, and the statement almost had him bolting out of his chair to go find her.

"General Yue Ying was injured during the battle and is with the doctors presently and unable to make her report herself, so I was sent in her stead."

Zhuge lost everything else the man said in the panic that took his mind and body at the mention of his wife getting hurt. How could something like this happen? Besides being a remarkable warrior, she wore so many layers of clothing and armor it would be almost impossible for someone to get through that to actually manage a blow to her body. He wondered what she'd been doing and whom she'd been protecting to make herself that vulnerable. He was brought out of his new reverie when he almost jumped in surprise as a hand squeezed his shoulder and he looked over to see Liu Bei watching him.

"Go ahead and check on your wife, Master Liang, I rode with your unit so there's no need to receive a report from you."

"Thank you, my lord." Zhuge replied as he bowed his head slightly then stood to head out of the council room to go find his wife.

Yue Ying resisted the urge to punch the doctor that was presently digging the pieces of spear metal out of her shoulder while she debated on whether or not to go kill her sub-general herself for getting himself stuck in that ambush in the first place. The oaf had decided to separate from the unit to cut behind the one they were going after, and was more than overwhelmed with enemy ambush soldiers by the time she found out where he had went and caught up to him. He lost his entire unit in the fray and would have lost his own life if she hadn't charged her horse through the crowd and jumped in to help him.

Unfortunately for her, there were so many of them and the general was so badly wounded that she almost got overwhelmed herself, and one soldier managed to get a cheap shot in on her and ended up spearing her shoulder and snapping his spear blade flush with her skin when she countered the attack …

Which put her at the mercy of a doctor she was beginning to believe was slightly masochistic considering how he was still poking and prodding. She almost caused him to drive his tools farther into her arm when her husbands voice startled her out of her thoughts.

"Do you have to be so brutal with those things?" Zhuge asked after watching the doctor dig in her arm for a few minutes.

"Oh, Master Liang! I was just making sure I didn't stitch the wound with metal pieces still in her arm. It would mean having to go in and remove them after she's already healed, which would increase the chance of scarring and damaging muscles she would need in battle."

"Did you bother asking her if she still felt metal in her arm? I'm sure that would be feasible since its obvious by the look on her face she definitely feels you stabbing her with your doctors toys."

Ying gave her husband a grateful half-smile as the doctor took away his torture tools spluttering apologies. So he _had_ been still prodding to make her more uncomfortable, the bastard. Oh well, as long as the wound didn't scar too much she didn't really care, it kept her from worrying about the coming conversation with her husband, which she was still nervous about. A thought that was quickly brought back to the surface of her mind as he sat beside the bed and watched the doctor work.

"What happened?" Zhuge asked gently, hoping his wife didn't assume the question was implying that she had done something wrong.

"One of my subs broke off without notice and ran into an ambush trying to get around the unit we were engaging … I went to assist when I learned about it and ran into several ambush units converging on him at once … he was incapable of helping me fight them off at the time, so I was almost overwhelmed and got this as a reward for my intentions."

"You did a great thing, going after one from your unit alone like that. You were lucky a spear wound is all you came out of it with … you could have lost a lot more."

"Well, we're all safe and I'll probably come out of this without even a scar," she replied quietly, then almost forgot to breath when her husband smiled at her.

Sure, she'd seen him smile, but this was different. This smile spread across his whole face and into his eyes, and if she thought he was gorgeous before, this made him completely stunning. It took a few seconds for what he was saying to sink in because of this fact, and she blinked in surprise when she realized what he'd been saying.

"And I'm thanking the gods that you all are, especially you. I don't know what I'd do without you here," Zhuge said, praying he wasn't going too far with this and scaring her with his admission.

"Y-you what?" Ying stammered, still not believing her ears.

Zhuge couldn't help smiling at his wife again. This stammering and the not quite blushing that accompanied it were just too adorable.

"I said I don't know what I would do without you here with me. Is that so hard to believe?"

"Well … it's just that … you haven't ever …" Ying let her voice trail off as she fought the blush that his statement threatened to bring out. The stammering was bad enough, she didn't need to add to her embarrassment by blushing like a naïve little girl.

"I know, Ying, I know … look, we'll talk about this when we're in a more private place, okay?" At her nod he refocused his attention on the doctor, a faint smile still playing on his lips as he thought about what had just happened. Maybe it wouldn't be so hard to get closer to his wife as he had thought.


	3. Realization

**Author's note: Thanks to the reviews for chapter 2**

**_HarborRat: _Thanks again for the support. I have plannedto notmake this one of those quick, fall in love and its over stories. I've written in at least one less than desireable situation with the couple, but I wont say in what aspect. That would be giving too much away, wouldnt it?. I do hope it doesnt lessen the impact of the story, but thats for those of you who read this to decide later on. Thanks again**

**Chapter 3**

"Incompetent horses asses, the lot of them." Zhuge had grumbled as they made their way back to their room after the doctor had finished stitching up her arm and deemed her ready to go recuperate.

It wasn't so much his obvious worry over her well being as it was that he purposely stayed as close to her as was possible without tripping the both of them. Ying didn't mind, of course, but she did wonder why there was such a sudden change in the man. She had to remind herself that she'd never been injured in battle since they were married, so she had no other instances to compare this one to.

Once they got back to their room the nervousness set in again, and she thought it must have been obvious because she'd no sooner been sat on the edge of the bed than he was heading out again.

"Leaving for the evening?" she enquired curiously, wondering if she'd see him again before morning. She couldn't shake the feeling her injury had disappointed him and pushed him to reconsider Li Shen's offer.

"No, just going to get dinner brought to the room for us so you don't have to be uncomfortable. I thought you might want privacy to get changed and such as well."

"Oh … well, thank you then," she said, trying to hide her surprise. He'd said _us_ … could that mean he would be joining her for dinner instead of going to the dinner hall alone?

"I'll return shortly," Zhuge said as he left the room, not even trying to hide his smile as he started down the hall. Maybe this was a start at least.

Meanwhile, Ying fished through their dresser for decent sleeping clothes. She usually slept half dressed for battle considering the recent battle circumstances, but it had been made clear that she would possibly be out of battle for weeks while the wound healed and she worked the use back into her damaged shoulder muscles. Which was going to get really old considering she would be stuck in the room with just her books and charts and weapon designs to humor her during that time.

Finally finding what she was looking for, she went into the bathroom to shower, being careful not to let the hot water hit he wound directly. After she was finished, she went back into the bedroom wondering how in gods' names she was supposed to get her hair dried or brushed. Zhuge was just coming back into the room and raised an eyebrow at the exasperated look on her face.

"What troubles you, Ying?" He searched for a change in her features as he asked, thankful when he saw none.

"Just cursing my inability to deal with my hair, no big deal," Ying said gruffly as she sat back down on the edge of the bed, glaring slightly at her hairbrush as she sat it back on the nightstand beside their bed.

"I could help you with that, you know," Zhuge offered innocently, earning him a surprised look from his wife.

"You don't have to do that, you probably have better things to spend your time doing." She said softly, almost hoping he would argue and mentally kicking herself for getting herself into this mess in the first place.

"There are better things than helping my wife when she's injured?" he asked as he sat behind her on the bed and took the towel from her, gently drying out her hair before reaching for her brush.

"Umm … I thought there would …" Ying couldn't finish the sentence once he started slowly running the brush through her hair so she just let her voice trail off and her eyes fall closed as she enjoyed the feeling. Nobody had done this for her since she was a child and her mother used to brush her hair, she remembered as he continued working the tangles out of her hair.

Zhuge kept quiet as he worked on her hair, not indicating when he laid the brush aside and started just using his fingers to comb through it, enjoying the feel of her hair against his hands. The innocent act was causing him to think of more affectionate gestures and he had to fight the urge to just pull her to him and not let her go. He knew that would be moving too fast, though, so he tucked it in the back of his mind for later and worked on how to phrase his next statement.

"Our lord has given me permission to take leave of my battle responsibilities in order to assist you while you recover instead of having one of the maidservants helping you." Zhuge flinched to himself when she went rigid at his quietly muttered words, praying she wouldn't push him away from the privilege.

"T-there's no need for that, Zhuge … I can take care of myself while your away, you don't have to stay and baby-sit."

"And what if I don't see it as 'babysitting', as you put it? What if I asked to be here with you while you recover because I'd rather spend time with my injured wife than deal with whiney soldiers and know it all generals?"

Ying couldn't answer his quiet questions, and wondered if he could see the smile that fought its way onto her features at the thought of him actually wanting to be near her outside of business and battle arrangements. Here was her chance to work at letting him know how she felt. Her chance to get things straight between them or to find out once and for all whether he really cared for her as a woman as well as respecting her fighting skills and knowledge. She relaxed again with the thought flitting through her head that it was going to be a very interesting few weeks.


	4. Almost Kiss

**Authors Note: Thanks for the reviews**

**_Guan_: Thanks for your support of my story. Sorry about the bad link, I thought it copied right and when I noticed the mistake once the chapter was posted it wouldnt let me fix it without removing the chapter and starting all over again. I actually did take that from an official site, and it wasnt a personal bio, what I was quoting was taken from a book about Yue Ying. No worries either way, thanks for the tip and thanks for the review.**

**_Crystal Tiara_: Thank you so much for your wonderful comments hug I agree that you dont see enough of ZhugexYing stories. I'm glad that I had the inspiration to write one.Thank you for the comments about Li Shen, I maybring her back into the story in a better perspective yet. And good luck on your songfic, I'll be sure to keep an eye out for it:o)**

**Chapter 4**

Ying relaxed back into the pillows propped against the headboard with a contented sigh. She wondered if it was possible to be happier than she was right now. The last couple of weeks had been like something out of a dream for her. Zhuge had spent nearly every waking moment with her, talking, walking through the gardens, and even just sitting quietly in the room together. She knew a lot more about her husband now than she had before, and it only made her feelings for him stronger.

She had taken a lot about his character for granted, and was grateful for the time to figure him out. They still hadn't went back to the conversation they had been trying to get through the day before she got hurt, which was fine with her, she still wasn't sure she'd be able to talk about it just yet without getting flustered and choking up again. She was having to re-evaluate her true feelings for her husband anyway. She had known she was fond of Zhuge, but the more time they spent together the more she thought it was something more than just that, but she was afraid to admit to herself what she really thought it was.

They hadn't been attending meals in the dinner hall since the battle. Zhuge had been having food brought to them or he went and got it himself, which was also fine with Ying. She'd rather not have to deal with the men smirking behind her back and whispering about how she'd gotten herself hurt. She was going to have to work doubly hard after she recovered to get them to stop.

She was brought back from her musings by the door opening and Zhuge coming in with their dinner. She allowed a smile to cross her face as she watched him setting things out on the table and her eyes wandered over his form. He presented a nice view, even in those damned robes. She had to convince him to wear something different outside of battle. _Or nothing at all_, she thought before she could stop herself, and had to quickly divert her attention when he turned towards the bed.

"Ready for dinner, Ying?" he asked, chuckling to himself at her slightly flustered appearance and wondering what thoughts had caused it.

"Hmm? Oh … yeah, sure," she said, scooting to the edge of the bed and standing up.

Zhuge pulled her chair out for her and had to resist the urge to press his face into her hair as she brushed past him to sit down. _Gods, but she smells nice_, he thought to himself as he sat in the chair beside hers. He had to do something to distract himself before he lost his mind or did something stupid.

"Your unit has been working on the juggernaut design you gave them all this week."

"Oh, how is that going?" she asked, hopeful

"They are making good progress, actually, but it will still be some time before the design is testable with them working around skirmishes and assignments."

"Well, as long as they're actually trying, that's what counts."

Zhuge had to smile at the proud light that took over her face knowing one of her inventions was going to be used in battle. It made her quite striking in his opinion … quite similar to the change her sleeping clothes made compared to her normal or battle clothes. He had to fight to keep his eyes from wandering over her as that thought crossed through his mind. His wife was far from the plain, half-pretty woman the rumors made her out to be. She was quite beautiful when she wasn't dressed for battle. He hadn't realized he'd been ignoring her till the tap on his arm brought him back to focus on her curious gaze.

"Everything okay? You almost looked like I'd bored you to sleep for a minute there." Ying wondered if she really had put him to sleep with her chattering as she asked the question.

"Not at all, I just got distracted by my thoughts for a moment. My apologies."

"Thoughts?" Ying asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Since you seem to be so curious, I was thinking to myself how beautiful you look."

Ying almost dropped her fork in her surprise at his quite admission, meeting his eyes with her own shocked stare, wondering if she was still caught in her afternoon nap and this was just another dream.

"Me?" and she kicked herself for sounding so hopeful with that question.

"Yes, you. I do not see any other woman in here that I could be looking at right now," Zhuge said, unable to hide his smile.

"Umm … thank you, Zhuge, I'm flattered," she said, looking back down at her plate to keep from blushing under his scrutiny.

She was so caught up in trying not to embarrass herself that she almost did that and worse when she nearly jumped out of her chair at the touch of his hand on her cheek. This was what she'd wanted the last two weeks and longer, why was she so nervous about it now? _Just enjoy it; he IS your husband after all,_ she told herself as she met his gaze.

Zhuge noticed her slight jump and how she tensed when he brushed the back of his hand across her cheek, but he thought the time was well past to make some kind of gesture to show his feelings, so he gently tilted her chin up as he turned his chair, thankful that she didn't make a move to pull away from him after her first show of surprise.

"Ying, you're a very beautiful woman, especially at times like this when battle clothes and armor aren't hiding what you really look like. I hope you believe me when I tell you that." He was talking quietly, hoping she wouldn't change her mind and run from him.

"I do believe you, Zhuge … I'm just not used to compliments like that from anyone."

"Then I'll have to make sure I give them more often," he said with a smile, leaning closer to her.

She didn't make a move away from him, so he moved closer to her as he tilted her chin up a bit more, moving to press his lips to hers … and growled inwardly when the knock on the door made them both jump. Sighing quietly, he changed his direction and brushed his lips across her cheek before standing up and going to answer the door, talking quietly with the messenger before closing the door and turning back to Ying.

"Our lord wants me to meet with him and the other generals in the council room to discuss the coming battle," he said apologetically.

"Then you have to go talk to him," she replied, fighting the urge to pout at the interruption. She knew how long those meetings lasted and she'd likely be asleep by the time they let her husband leave. _Oh well, such is the life of the strategist_, she thought wryly as she forced a small smile to show she was okay with it, when what she really wanted to do was go strangle that damned messenger.

"I'll be back as soon as possible," he said as he left, closing the door quietly behind him with another sigh and headed down the hall. His lord had the worst timing.


	5. Trouble

**Author's Note: Thanks again for all the wonderful review. I'm glad people areenjoying the story so far!**

**_Lady Mog_: Thank you so much for your wonderful compliments on my story. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. And I agree totally, there arent that many Zhuge x Ying fics, and they were such a cute couple! Thanks again for the sweet review :)**

**_Guan_: LOL, no, I dont think I'll have Zhuge going on a killing rampage just yet, but he does come close to killing one personfrom Shu this chapter, owies! What do you mean by "keep Li Shen the same"? Do you mean her attitude in general or her meddling like she did with Zhuge and Ying? Thanks for the compliment on the chapter :)**

**Chapter 5**

Ying kicked another pebble as she walked the path around the castle in the fading evening light, wondering how long it was going to take this time. Lord Liu Bei had been meeting with him a lot the last week to get a second opinion on his strategies for the string of battles they were going through presently. It made her realize just how much she'd been enjoying their time alone away from everyone else. She was thankful for the doctor giving her permission to get outside for fresh air this last week though. Having to stay in the room and think about things would have had her going crazy by now.

Her mind wandered back to the night it all started, when the messenger interrupted them. She'd waited till Zhuge left before she crawled back under the covers and buried her face in her pillow with a growl. Lord Bei had the worst damned timing of late, always calling on Zhuge when they were almost to the point of physical contact. Besides the messengers scaring the hell out of her with their banging on the door, it was irritating as hell to be right at the point of that first kiss then getting interrupted! She was so caught up in her frustration and mental cursing that she hadn't noticed her trek was taking her around behind the castle and through the storage houses.

When she did realize where she was, she just shrugged it off. _Your safe here, nobody is going to bother you_, she told herself. Then she cursed herself for her lack of fear when she was roughly jerked off the path and slammed almost face first into the side of one of the storage sheds. A panic seized her when she realized she didn't have her scythe with her or any of her daggers, and she cursed herself again for her carelessness. She tried to struggle then yelped in pain and went rigid when a hand none too gently gripped her wounded shoulder. Her eyes widened in fear at the voice she heard after that.

"Wont do you no good to fight, you've had this comin' for a long time, wench," Zhang Fei's slurred voice said into her ear as he ran a hand along her side, squeezing her hip as his hand stopped its descent there.

_He's drunk … how do you reason with a drunken man?_ Ying asked herself desperately as his hand started to wander to more private places.

"Please, don't do this…" she attempted, knowing her words were falling on deaf ears.

"Save your words, honey, they ain't gonna save you."

She tried to struggle again when he grabbed her backside and got her shoulder slammed into the side of the storage house as a reward, tearing another pained cry from her.

"I said don't fight me, dammit … on second thought, fight all you want, it'll only make it better," he sneered as he reached around to squeeze her breast, grinning at the frightened whimper the action caused.

Ying heard the hiss of a knife being unsheathed and felt the cold night air hit her back as her blouse was slit open. She tightly closed her eyes and whimpered quietly as the tip of the blade lightly traced a path down her spine to the waistband of her pants. She let out a surprised cry as she was suddenly dropped to the ground.

Gaining enough composure to scramble away and put her back to the wall of the shed, she saw through the terrified haze that Zhang Fei had been slammed 'through' the shed that had been behind her. She had to blink several times to clear her vision enough to see who had come to her rescue, and her eyes widened in surprise to see that it was her husband standing over Zhang Fei's groaning form. _But how did he know? _

It took every ounce of willpower Zhuge had to keep from killing the man right there. He had his fists clenched at his sides to keep from pummeling him to death. The nerve of the man, touching his wife! Intending to rape her! He had to remind himself that Zhang Fei was drunk and his judgment was clouded or he never would have attempted something so stupid. _If he hadn't come looking for his wife after the meeting_ … he had to force that thought from his mind along with the panic that gripped him with it. Ying was safe, he just had to deal with this and get her back to the room, where she was safer.

"If you come within twenty feet of my wife again, you will beg for death before I am finished with you, Zhang Fei, and I am still highly considering telling your brothers of your damnable behavior. Trying to rape any woman is an atrocity, but my wife … that can be called treason if looked at the right way." The words were said quietly, threateningly, and Zhuge was satisfied to see Zhang Fei flinch at the icy tone and the implications of his statement.

"I-I'll stay away, no worries there, boss," Zhang Fei stammered, not daring to try and get back up just yet.

The strategist had knocked him halfway sober with the blow that sent him through the shed wall, and Fei wasn't about to cause the man to take any more of his anger out on him, he was in no position to counter it in his condition. As he avoided the strategist's gaze he couldn't help but wonder how the smaller man had managed to hit him that hard.

"Go on your way before I change my mind about the value of your life," Zhuge said, and held his stare on the man's back until he was out of sight. His wife's half sob jerked his attention back to her and he quickly moved to her side and knelt down to brush her tousled hair out of her face.

"Are you alright, Ying?"

All Ying could do was whimper and throw herself into her husbands arms, clinging to him as the terror of what almost happened took hold of her mind. At the first sound of his voice she let the tears fall freely, holding tighter to him and praying he didn't think her weak for the emotion.

Zhuge held his wife close and murmured words of comfort in her ear as he ran his fingers through her hair to calm her, cursing the gods for letting such a thing happen to begin with. After a while she calmed down a bit and loosened her grip on him as her sniffles quieted, but he could still feel the fear holding onto her.

"Come on, lets get you inside," he said gently as he untied the sash on his robes and shrugged out of them.

"W-what are you doing?" Ying asked, suddenly distracted by her husbands appearance in only his pants and shirt.

"Covering you up so I can take you inside," he said as he draped the robes around her shoulders and helped her stand.

Ying couldn't manage any more words so she just nodded and let her husband pick her up and start inside with her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and tucked her head under his chin, catching his scent between the gusts of the wind. It comforted her, and she let her fear seep away as she snuggled closer into her husband's arms, knowing she was safe now.


	6. Confessions

**Author's Note: Thanks again for all the great reviews :)**

**_Guan_: The boss remark was more a show of Fei's drunken humor than his actual character attitude, but thanks for noticing that. And I'm still letting the muses stirr around with the Li Shen topic. Its a possibility she'll come back in a non-Zhuge perspective, and no worries, if she does, she most definately wont be a Mary Sue type, hehe.**

**_LongYue_: Thanks so much for the nice review, I'm glad your liking the story so far. And no worries, I think I'm about to get around to the alone time in the next few chapters.**

**Chapter 6**

Ying woke with a start then gasped softly as the action shifted her shoulder uncomfortably. She kept forgetting in her sleep that the attack had done more damage to the wound. Her shoulder was badly bruised from being slammed into the wall and the stitches had been torn loose during the attack. Which meant the masochist doctor got to have fun again and now she was sore most of the time.

Zhuge's arms tightening around her waist reminded her that it wasn't so bad considering the benefits, and she couldn't help but smile at that thought. Her husband hadn't turned her loose for more than the time it took them to eat their meals since the attack a few days ago, which was fine by her. His presence kept the nightmares she had feared having away while she was sleeping, and his suddenly cuddly nature kept her distracted from thinking about what had happened.

"Careful" Zhuge couldn't stop himself from pressing his face against the curve of Ying's neck as he quietly murmured thewords and pulled her tighter back against him. He couldn't get close enough to his wife lately. "Ready to get out of bed?"

"Nuh uh, I'm comfortable," Ying felt like she belonged somewhere for the first time in her life and she wasn't about to move and ruin the mood. She wanted to turn around towards her husband, but that would put too much strain on her shoulder, so she just snuggled farther into his embrace and made herself content with that.

"Very well, I'm enjoying this too much anyway."

"Really?"

"Of course, Ying … what man wouldn't like being this close to his wife?"

"I … none, I guess" She kicked herself for getting tripped up on her words again. Her husband was very distracting when they were together like this. She almost jumped a second later when she felt him brush a kiss across her neck, and had to bite her lip to keep from whimpering at the longing that spread through her at the small contact. "Zhuge?"

"Hmm?" _Stop before you get carried away, Zhuge_

"Why did you marry me?"

Her question was asked innocently, but it shook him to his core. How could she not know by now? _Because you haven't shown her_ he chided himself. Ying was his world, his soul, the only thing that truly mattered to him…but how could he tell her that?

"Why do you think I married you, Ying?"

"At first, with the deal we made, I thought it was just so you'd have the help and my astronomy skills at your disposal … I'm not sure about that anymore though" She bit her lip slightly, wondering what kind of response she was going to get.

"At first that was what it was all about … and I'm not sure when or why things changed, Ying, but that's not the case now."

"Oh … then what is the case now?" Ying had to remind herself to breathe while she waited for his answer.

Zhuge reached up to brush the back of one hand across her cheek gently. He leaned close to her ear, kissing it lightly before whispering his reply

"I love you, Ying … more than anything."

"You…" Ying couldn't keep the disbelief out of her voice, praying to the gods she wasn't still caught in a dream.

"Love you. And I can understand if you don't feel the same way. I just cant keep it to myself anymore, its been driving me crazy." Zhuge closed his eyes, hoping his confession didn't push her away, but thinking in the back of his mind that it wouldn't.

"I … I love you too, Zhuge … have for a long time now, just been afraid to say so because I didn't know if you felt the same." Ying sighed inwardly with relief at her husband's confession. Now, perhaps, they could be happy together. She smiled at the thought.

"I'm happy to hear that, my wife … now, get some more rest, I know your shoulder is hurting you."

"Okay Zhuge." And Ying let her eyes fall closed and let sleep take her again, a smile still playing across her lips.

Zhuge held her like that for a long time before he let himself fall back asleep, thinking about what had just happened. She loved him too … he couldn't keep the smile off his face that the thought caused, nor did he want to. She was finally his, after three years. Zhuge nuzzled her neck, smilingat the soft sound she madeas she pressed closer to him;and he let his own eyes close with the thought that he had no plans of ever letting her go now.


	7. Apology

**Author's Note: Thanks to everyone for the reviews. Special thanks to Crystal Tiara and LongYue for the little tidbits about the fan and the name YueLiang, those were just neat! And always thanks to Guan for your nice reviews :)**

**This will be the last chapter for a little bit. I'm having to relocate and may not get my internet back right away. My apologies and I look foward to reading the reviews when I come back. Thanks again everyone!**

**Chapter 7**

Zhang Fei quietly watched Lady Yue Ying sharpening her scythe, trying to muster the courage to talk to her. It had been a week since he had attacked her, and he'd kept himself well away from her and her husband in that time. He had barely remembered what happened that evening, and had wanted to string his own self up once he realized what he'd done to her. The guilt from the incident was eating him alive, and it was the need to at least try to make things right that had him stepping out of his concealed spot so Ying could see him. She started and jumped up to defend herself, but tilted her head in confusion when he raised his hands in surrender.

"Please Lady Ying, don't be alarmed … I … I came to apologize to you." Zhang Fei prayed she wouldn't decide he was better off dead and use her scythe on him, but then he remembered he deserved it and resigned himself just in case.

"Apologize?" Ying couldn't hide her curiosity; she hadn't expected this from the general. She lowered her scythe as she watched him scratch the back of his neck, trying to get his words straight.

"I didn't know what I was doing that evening when I grabbed you, and I honest to gods didn't mean to do that. I'm not normally a pushy man in that manner when I'm drunk, and I'm not sure what was put in the wine, but I'm really very sorry about attacking you … just wanted to ask that you forgive me."

"I knew you were drunk, Zhang Fei, I could smell that much, and considering you were barely able to pronounce the small words you used, its not surprising that you didn't know what you were doing. Perhaps it was just bad wine … no matter, I've already forgiven you for what you did. We have to work together, and we'll be fighting alongside one another once I'm back in fighting condition, so I'd rather not have bad blood between us … you never know when you'll need help."

Zhang Fei couldn't help the slight smile that crossed his lips at her words. She truly was an honorable woman, and not given near enough credit around the castle by the other soldiers. He'd have to see to changing that now that they were on speaking terms again.

"I thank you, m'lady, and look forward to having you back alongside us in battle soon. How is your shoulder healing?"

"Well, that little incident re-opened the wound, but it's healing quickly and the doctors have said I may be able to remove the stitches and start working the muscles in the next week or two." Ying wished Fei didn't drink as much … he was a much friendlier man when he was sober.

"I'm glad to hear that, Lady Ying. I will take my leave now and let you go back to what you were doing … thank you for understanding." And with that, Fei headed back inside the castle to go raid the wine room. _Definitely not getting that drunk again, though_ Fei told himself.

Ying watched him walk away, and then swung around as she heard her husband's low growl of anger, and had to grab the front of his robes to keep him from moving around her to follow the man.

"Zhuge, please wait … he only came to apologize to me for what he did that day, he wasn't causing trouble."

"He what?" Zhuge couldn't keep the shock out of his voice at his wife's statement. He hadn't known Fei to ever apologize for mistakes he'd made when drunk. Then again, there weren't many times when the man wasn't drunk, and drunken men know no shame or guilt.

"He apologized for attacking me. And since I know that's not usual behavior for him, I accepted the apology … things need to be sorted if we're going to be around each other here at the castle, and he really did look like he felt guilty over the whole incident."

"Very well, if that's how you feel, I'll leave it be." Zhuge had to admit, it was admirable of Fei … if only they could keep him from getting so drunk in the future.

"Thank you … what brings you out here? I thought you had a meeting with our lord?"

"The meeting was dismissed early and since I didn't find you in our room, I thought you might be out here tending your weapon or armor."

"I was going crazy sitting in the room with nothing to do, so I came out here to get some fresh air."

"I see … well, would you like to take a walk through the gardens?"

"That would be nice," Ying smiled as she took the hand her husband offered, laying her scythe on the worktable. Everyone knew who the weapon belonged to, so it wouldn't be bothered before she returned to get it.

And so Zhuge led his wife through the gardens. They talked a good deal of the time, discussing the weather changes and how that would affect coming battles, talking about their units and how well the soldiers had been doing during both their absences. They talked about the progress on her juggernaut invention and how it was almost finished and would be testable soon, and also about his arbalest invention that had been used successfully in a recent battle. And part of the time they just walked quietly, enjoying each other's company. Once they reached the pond in the center of the gardens, Zhuge stopped his wife and turned her towards him, smiling as she raised an eyebrow in question.

"Things have been interrupted the last few weeks by people coming and going, asking for me or checking up on you," Zhuge said as he pulled his wife closer, wrapping his arms lightly around her waist.

"Oh?" Ying had a feeling she knew what her husband was talking about, but wasn't sure how to react.

"Yes, and its been very frustrating. So, while we are alone and nobody knows our whereabouts to interrupt us, I'll try again. I've waited a long time to be able to do this and cant any longer." As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Zhuge gently tilted Ying's chin up and pressed his lips to hers in a gentle kiss.

Ying thought her world was going to turn upside down. As soon as her husbands lips touched hers the outside world started fading away, and she wrapped her good arm around his neck as she tilted her head more to allow her husband to continue.

His wife's compliance fueled Zhuge's desire, and he ran one hand up to support the back of her head as he deepened their kiss, tightening his other arm around her waist to hold her against him. He lightly ran his tongue along her bottom lip, asking permission, and had to force back a groan when she parted her lips to let him explore her more deeply.

Ying moaned softly as her husband started exploring her mouth, and, gaining a bit of courage, moved her own tongue to meet his. Encouraged by the quiet groan the action caused, she continued the gesture, quiet sounds of pleasure moving between them as the kiss grew more heated until they finally had to part for air, still holding each other tightly.

Zhuge stood there with his cheek pressed against his wife's, trying to right his breathing as the world slowly came back into focus around them and he once again heard the water trickling through the large pond. He would have to remember not to take a kiss that far in a public place again, and thanked the gods he had robes to cover the signs of his desire. He never thought it was possible for a single kiss to affect a man so … but then again, love tended to do things like that to people.

"I think … that we should stop for now, else I'm going to forget we are in a place where others can happen by and see our actions."

Ying almost blushed at what her husband was implying. So their kiss _had_ affected him as much as it did her. Truth was that her body was screaming for his in a manner that both frightened and delighted Ying. All this feeling, and it was just their first kiss …

"And I think you have a good idea, my husband," Ying replied, laughter lacing her voice.

"I think that it is nearing dinnertime anyway," Zhuge kept his wife held close to him as he led her back through the gardens towards the dining room, the kiss still on his mind. Things were going to start getting very interesting.


	8. Love

**Author's Note: Thanks to everyone again for the wonderful reviews.**

**_lacitar13_: Thank you so much for the nice comments! I'm glad you like the way I've done the story, and no, I havent had anyone say I write too fast before, LOL. I havent brought a lot of characters into this story on purpose. I have found in some fics I've read around that after you get past a certain character number, the story gets too sketchy and things stop falling together, so I concentrate on a small number of characters at a time while I focus on the main set I'm writing the story over. I may try to bring more characters into some other stories I've been thinking of, and I may branch Li Shen and Fei off onto another story after this one, but for now I think I have all the characters I'm going to in this story. Again, thanks for the wonderful comments!**

**Side Note: This chapter was meant to be a lemon chapter. Because of the rules on this site, I cut out that part of the chapter, so thats why it appears short. If you are over the age of 18 and would like to see the unedited version of this chapter, there is a link on my userpage to another fanfic account I have that allows unedited material. Either way, enjoy :)**

**Chapter 8**

Zhuge sighed inwardly as he moved down the hall towards the room he shared with his wife. He'd had to lie about feeling ill to get a few uninterrupted days with his wife. As soon as she started retraining he'd been getting called on left and right by his lord for help with battle strategy and for advice on whether to recruit more troops, promote more to generals, and other things along those lines. He just couldn't stand the pressure of worrying about and wanting to be near his wife, so he talked to Lord Bei and arranged for a few days to recuperate from an illness that didn't exist. He had to chuckle at that thought, his lord really did care about his people, and had almost forced Zhuge to go to the doctors to get checked out. He had made the promise to check in the next day and promptly headed to his room. He assumed Ying would already be asleep, for the training had been helping, but it wore her out by the end of the day, and it was already near midnight. He was surprised when he saw a light under the door, then his wife sitting in the bed reading when he went inside.

"Not sleepy, love?"

"Couldn't fall asleep, so I decided to sit up and read till you returned, my husband," his wife said with a slight shrug, and he couldn't help smiling.

"Its quite alright, I'd be insane to complain when I've had you on my mind nonstop lately."

"You have?" Ying couldn't help her curiosity. She wondered what she'd done to keep her husbands attention even while they were apart.

"Of course, I still worry about you … and I miss not being able to spend time with you." Zhuge sat on the edge of the bed as Ying set her book aside to talk to him.

"I feel the same way," Ying said with a hint of a smile, slightly distracted by her husband's closeness.

"Well, I'm playing sick right now, so we have a few days without any interruptions."

Ying couldn't help a small laugh at that. Her husband being sick was a very humorous notion. "Well, I'm sure our lord will not lose his mind too badly without your help for a few days," she said teasingly.

"That's what I thought, but you should have seen the look on his face when I said I'd be resting for a few days and didn't want to be disturbed," Zhuge chuckled at the memory.

"I can imagine, my husband."

"Well, are you tired?"

"No, not really."

Trying to idly chat while sitting so close to his wife was becoming difficult, so to break the strained moment, Zhuge leaned closer to his wife and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

Ying blinked in surprise. She wasn't expecting the action, but then again, her husband had been doing such things spontaneously since the night in the garden. She wasn't about to complain, she'd been waiting a long time to be close to her husband that way. So, with that in mind, she leaned closer to her husband and returned the kiss.

Zhuge's heart leapt when his wife responded, and he couldn't stop himself from pulling her closer to him. Wrapping his arms around her, he deepened their kiss, groaning quietly as his wife opened her mouth to his explorations. His desire burned through him like fire, and when they parted to catch their breath, he tilted her chin up so she was forced to look into his eyes and see the want there.

"Ying, I've wanted you for a long time, but I don't want to go any farther with this until your ready for that."

"I've been ready, my husband," Ying said with a small smile.

"Your sure this is what you want?"

Ying gave a slight nod to make her point, smiling at her husband again. "Very sure … I've wanted this for a long time as well."

And so Zhuge pulled his wife to him and laid her back on the bed as their desire took over and their kisses grew more heated.


	9. Love: Alternate

**Chapter 8: Alternate/Full Version**

**Disclaimer: This version of chapter 8 contains a scene of sexual nature farther down, I hold no responsibility for persons viewing this who might get offended by its content. You read at you're own risk, and have been warned, flames will be ignored or reported depending on their nature. I don't own these characters, and I know this story is a bit of an Alternate Universe. I believe I've stated this in every chapter preceding this one. I also realize that my characters may be a bit out of character in their speech. I never claimed to know the customs, I'm simply telling the story in my way, bear with me on that.**

On to the story...

* * *

Love: Alternate Chapter

Zhuge sighed inwardly as he moved down the hall towards the room he shared with his wife. He'd had to lie about feeling ill to get a few uninterrupted days with his wife. As soon as she started retraining he'd been getting called on left and right by his lord for help with battle strategy and for advice on whether to recruit more troops, promote more to generals, and other things along those lines. He just couldn't stand the pressure of worrying about and wanting to be near his wife, so he talked to Lord Bei and arranged for a few days to recuperate from an illness that didn't exist. He had to chuckle at that thought, his lord really did care about his people, and had almost forced Zhuge to go to the doctors to get checked out. He had made the promise to check in the next day and promptly headed to his room. He assumed Ying would already be asleep, for the training had been helping, but it wore her out by the end of the day, and it was already near midnight. He was surprised when he saw a light under the door, then his wife sitting in the bed reading when he went inside.

"Not sleepy, love?"

"Couldn't fall asleep, so I decided to sit up and read till you returned, my husband," his wife said with a slight shrug, and he couldn't help smiling.

"Its quite alright, I'd be insane to complain when I've had you on my mind nonstop lately."

"You have?" Ying couldn't help her curiosity. She wondered what she'd done to keep her husbands attention even while they were apart.

"Of course, I still worry about you … and I miss not being able to spend time with you." Zhuge sat on the edge of the bed as Ying set her book aside to talk to him.

"I feel the same way," Ying said with a hint of a smile, slightly distracted by her husband's closeness.

"Well, I'm playing sick right now, so we have a few days without any interruptions."

Ying couldn't help a small laugh at that. Her husband being sick was a very humorous notion. "Well, I'm sure our lord will not lose his mind too badly without your help for a few days," she said teasingly.

"That's what I thought, but you should have seen the look on his face when I said I'd be resting for a few days and didn't want to be disturbed," Zhuge chuckled at the memory.

"I can imagine, my husband."

"Well, are you tired?"

"No, not really."

Trying to idly chat while sitting so close to his wife was becoming difficult, so to break the strained moment, Zhuge leaned closer to his wife and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

Ying blinked in surprise. She wasn't expecting the action, but then again, her husband had been doing such things spontaneously since the night in the garden. She wasn't about to complain, she'd been waiting a long time to be close to her husband that way. So, with that in mind, she leaned closer to her husband and returned the kiss.

Zhuge's heart leapt when his wife responded, and he couldn't stop himself from pulling her closer to him. Wrapping his arms around her, he deepened their kiss, groaning quietly as his wife opened her mouth to his explorations. His desire burned through him like fire, and when they parted to catch their breath, he tilted her chin up so she was forced to look into his eyes and see the want there.

"Ying, I've wanted you for a long time, but I don't want to go any farther with this until your ready for that."

"I've been ready, my husband," Ying said with a small smile.

"Your sure this is what you want?"

Ying gave a slight nod to make her point, smiling at her husband again. "Very sure … I've wanted this for a long time as well."

And so Zhuge pulled his wife to him and laid her back on the bed as their desire took over and their kisses grew more heated.

He trailed lighter kisses along her jaw and ear as he brushed his fingertips under the hem of her shirt, pushing it up slowly, then raising his wife to pull it over her head.

Ying thought she would lose her mind with the feelings her husband was waking up inside of her. She had a moment of shyness when he removed her shirt, but it was quickly forgotten when he started kissing and nibbling down her neck and across her shoulder, all the while brushing his fingers over her stomach and up her sides. She couldn't stop her gasp when her husband brushed his thumbs along the undersides of her breasts, and arched into his touch. She tilted her head back on the pillows as her husbands kisses trailed lower, and gasped again as he took one of her nipples into his mouth.

No longer able to be still, she ran her fingers through Zhuge's hair, arching again with a small moan as her husband started gently sucking on her nipple, raising his other hand to play with the nipple that wasn't being paid attention by his mouth. Just when she thought the sensations were becoming too much for her, her husband made them multiply by kissing to her other breast and gently flicking his tongue against her nipple then giving it the same torturous treatment he'd just finished with the other.

She was so distracted with the sensations she didn't notice her husbands other hand working the ties on her pants until his hands trailed back down her sides to push them off her hips.

Zhuge rose up from his wife and slowly pulled her pants and underwear off, dropping them beside the bed with her discarded shirt from earlier. He almost forgot how to breathe when he leaned back to look his wife over. _So beautiful_, he thought, and then was snapped out of his thoughts by her turning her head away and reaching for the quilt to cover herself. He gently stopped her and tilted her chin back so she was looking up at him.

"What's wrong, Ying?"

"I … didn't think you liked what you saw," she said quietly.

"Of course I like what I see … your beauty takes my breath, my wife." Zhuge smiled at the slight blush that crept up his wife's cheeks at his statement.

"Thank you."

"I am only being truthful," Zhuge said as he moved over his wife again, leaning down to kiss her again.

And the torture began again. Ying wondered if a person could die from pleasure as her husbands fingertips trailed down her stomach. She barely had time to notice what he was starting to do before his hand moved between her legs to rub against her gently.

His wife's gasp fueled his desire even more, and the small keening sounds she was making as he started running his finger against her almost broke his control. But he was determined to pleasure his wife, so he pressed further into her folds and started teasing the sensitive nub he found there with his fingertip.

Ying couldn't help the sounds she was making under her husbands attention. She wanted to beg him to stop and just take her, but all she cold do was moan and writhe under him as she clutched at the sheets or his robes. A soft cry escaped her when he pressed two fingers inside her entrance and started moving them, and she thought she'd go insane with the fire it started building inside of her. She couldn't have managed a word to stop him if she'd wanted to at that point, and when her husband's fingers brushed over an acutely sensitive spot inside her, she arched into his touch, welcoming the pressure building inside of her. Her moans grew louder as the pressure built inside of her until it was almost unbearable, then she cried out her husbands name as she went over the edge into oblivion.

Zhuge tenderly kissed along his wife's neck as he moved his hand, holding her close as her breathing calmed and her body stopped shaking.

"Are you alright?"

"Alright? I think that would be understating things."

"Okay then," Zhuge said with a chuckle.

"Zhuge?"

"Yes, love?"

"I want you."

Zhuge raised an eyebrow at his wife's statement, but decided he was in no position to argue with her, so he stood and removed his clothes then moved back over her, gently kissing her.

"You know this might hurt a bit at first?"

Now it was Ying's turn to smile. "Yes, but its going to be worth it."

"Okay," Zhuge kissed his wife again as he shifted his hips and eased into her, moving slowly, encouraged by the sounds she was making until he reached resistance.

"I'm sorry, Ying," He said quietly before quickly thrusting inside her.

Ying couldn't help the small whimper she let out when her husbands thrust tore through her womanhood. She was grateful when he stopped after that and just held her while she adjusted. The pain faded quickly, and the feeling of her husband inside of her started a dull ache that caused her to move her hips against his in encouragement. The slight pain after he started moving against her quickly faded and was replaced by a feeling of pleasure even greater than what her husband had already done to her, and soon she was able to move with him.

And it seemed like forever they moved like that before the pressure slowly started building again. As if sensing the change in her body, her husband sped up his thrusts slightly, twisting his hips each time he moved back against her, causing little lightning bolts to shoot along her spine as it caused him to press against that sensitive spot inside hear each time he moved. Ying came undone again when he lifted her hips, changing the angle so he was pressed against that spot the whole time he was moving inside her, arching against him and wrapping her legs around his waist, gasping when the action made him move deeper and press more firmly against her. The pressure built quickly after that until she thought she couldn't stand it anymore, then built even more before she finally fell over the edge again, wondering if the sensations that shot through her mind and body would cause her to black out.

His wife's cry as her body tightened around him with her release drove Zhuge over the edge he'd been teetering on, and he had to muffle his own cry against her shoulder as he followed her over the edge. He thought he might never breathe again after that, but fortunately his lungs remembered how to work and he was able to take quick breaths as he calmed down. He gently nuzzled his wife's neck as he rose up to look in her eyes, catching her smile and returning it with his own as he kissed her tenderly.

"I love you, Ying."

"I love you too, Zhuge."

And they fell asleep that way, tightly wrapped in each other's arms.


	10. Surprise

**Author's Note: Thanks again to everyone for the wonderful reviews. I'm finishing this story with this chapter, but I'm possibly setting up a spin-off story with it, so don't hurt me too badly, lol. Again, thanks so much for all the wonderful reviews.**

**Side Note: This chapter is set about six weeks after chapter 8. You'll understand why shortly, he he.**

**Chapter 9**

Master Kong Ming walked hurriedly to the room he shared with his wife, his fear obvious in his features. His wife had been ill for two weeks now, night and day with no relief, and he was terribly worried about her well-being. The castle physician had been caring for her but it didn't seem to be helping, and Zhuge was at the point of madness. He and his wife had barely spent any time apart the last six weeks, more than content to enjoy their newfound love for one another. Zhuge hadn't thought twice about asking his lord for leave for a bit to get to know his wife more. He had Pang Tong, the sage, as well, so it wasn't like he was being left with out help in the way of strategy. Pang Tong was a genius in his own right, and was more than capable of filling in for Zhuge during his absence.

But none of that was reassuring him right now as he reached the bedroom and hesitated at the door. The physician had called on him from a council meeting, and Zhuge was terrified it was the worst and his wife would be taken from him soon. He brushed his fear aside and put on a brave smile for his wife as he went inside, the smile faltering slightly when his confusion took over after seeing the radiant grin on his wife's face. _What in hells is going on_ Zhuge managed to ask himself before the doctor started speaking, then all his attention focused on the man's words.

"Your wife is doing wonderful, Master Kong Ming. Its not dangerous illnesses like you were thinking ... quite the opposite, actually." This last was said with a lopsided grin from the doctor as he stood up and started gathering his things.

"W…" Zhuge had to check his composure before he could continue his sentence. "What do you mean by that, good doctor?"

"Oh, its not my place to tell such as that, sir. I'll leave you and your wife in private, she can explain it to you." And with that the doctor hurried out of the room, quietly closing the door behind him and leaving Zhuge there staring at his still grinning wife in confusion.

He had to force himself to move to the side of the bed and sit down beside her. As soon as the doctor told him his wife was fine, his body seemed to have gone numb from the relief that washed over him. He reached out and cupped her cheeks with his hands, gently pulling her forward to place a light kiss on her lips before pulling back and brushing a thumb across her bottom lip.

"Well, the doctor was practically bouncing out the door and you look like its taking everything in you to stop from doing it yourself, so please ease my heart and tell me what is going on, my love."

Ying gave her husband another radiant smile, not realizing that it was all but taking his breath away. She hadn't had the slightest idea why she had been sick since her knack for battle hadn't earned her many female companions to talk with about such things. It was starting to scare her after the doctor watched her for a week without indicating whether anything was wrong or not. She'd been about to strangle the smallish man when he finally told her, and she had sat there in shock for what seemed like hours while he had his assistant send for her husband. Once the feeling wore off, all she could do was grin like a small child that had just been given a reward.

"Well, my husband, it seems that there is nothing wrong with me. The doctor told me being sick was completely normal in these circumstances."

"These circumstances being what?"

"We are going to have a child." Ying said with another breathtaking grin.

"A …" Zhuge had to fight to keep from falling off the bed in his surprise.

"Child. I'm pregnant … about a month and a half he figures."

Zhuge had to stare at his wife another full minute before the realization finally hit home and his own grin joined hers right before he pulled her tight against him and kissed her deeply, pouring all his love into the gesture as they clung to each other. Finally pulling away for breath, he continued feathering kisses across his wife's cheek and down her neck, still holding her tightly against him. Hearing her sighs of pleasure, he finally pulled back to look down at her.

_She is so beautiful like this, half taken over by passion_ he thought, then placed another gentle kiss on her lips before holding her close to him again, slowly running his fingers through her hair, still digesting what she had told him. He was going to be a father … the thought swelled his heart with so much gladness and love that he thought he might burst from it.

"I'm at a loss for what to say, my wife … this is one of the two happiest moments of my life."

"What was the other?" Ying asked as she instinctively snuggled closer to her husband, loving the feel of his hands on her hair.

"The day you said you loved me," Zhuge said with a smile, placing a light kiss to the top of her head.

"That was a good day."

"Yes, it was a very good day, and, like today, one I will never forget."

Ying wanted to talk to her husband more, but the nausea hit her again just then and she had to dash for their bathroom. When she came back, inwardly groaning that the gods could be so cruel as to make a pregnant woman sick, she saw that her husband had turned the covers down on the bed and was turning out the lights in the room.

"What are you doing, my husband?" She asked curiously

"I'm putting you to bed, there is no need for you to stay awake and sick when you can rest just as easily." With that, he shrugged out of his robes and laid his boots under a table, then gently guided his wife to the bed.

Ying started to protest even though she was indeed tired, but the words died before ever reaching her lips when it became obvious she wasn't going to be alone. _If he's staying with me, I might as well _she thought. So with a small smile she laid down with him, snuggling into his embrace with a tired yawn and almost instantly falling off to sleep.

Zhuge, as he did often, laid there for a long while after his wife fell asleep, rubbing her back and brushing his fingers through her hair as he watched her sleep. He was still amazed at the thought of having a child, but overjoyed that he'd get the opportunity to be a father. A family was something he had always wanted, and now he was finally going to have it. He smiled at that before pulling his wife closer to him and letting sleep take him as well.

_**Eight months later **_

Ying had to fight not to cry out as another contraction hit her, almost immediately following the last. She had been in labor for ten hours before the contractions started coming fast enough to signal the baby being ready to join the world, and to her it was agonizing. She hadn't made a sound of pain since it started, the only indication she was in any kind of distress was her rapid breathing joined with the clenching of her jaw or her grip tightening on her husband's hand. Her husband … Ying couldn't help but smile to herself at that thought. Zhuge had sat there with her the entire time, holding her hand and comforting her. He even tried to apologize for being the cause of what was happening to her now, but she'd quickly shut him up with the statement that it took more than one person to make a baby. The doctors had told her to start pushing not long ago, and the pain was increasing as her baby tried to make its way into the world.

"Okay, Lady Huang, one more push and it'll be over. Push as hard as you can" The doctor said gently, and Ying did as she was told, and was rewarded a few seconds later with the sudden disappearance of the pain and her baby's first small cries.

"Very good, miss. You have a healthy baby boy." The doctor said with a smile.

She relaxed back into the bed as her baby was cleaned, then reached out as the tiny bundle was carefully placed in her arms. She looked down and caught her breath at the tiny form she was holding. He was so beautiful. All Ying could do was lean against her husband and stare in awe.

Zhuge had to fight back his own emotions as he watched his wife and child. He could have wept if not for the fact it might alarm his wife. The baby was perfection itself, so tiny and vulnerable. A fierce protection swelled up inside of Zhuge, not unlike the one he felt towards his wife, and he vowed no harm would ever come to either of them. He didn't have to put on a smile when his wife looked up at him with her own, he'd been beaming ever since he heard the first muffled cries of his son. He leaned down to place a gently kiss on his wife's forehead as he cradled her against him, reaching down to barely brush a fingertip over their son's cheek.

"He's perfect, my love." He said almost inaudibly

"Mmm hmm, he is … so tiny and perfect."

"What I was just thinking." Zhuge tilted his wife's chin up and gently kissed her after that, smiling at her again after he pulled back.

"I love you, Ying."

"I love you too, my husband."

And so they sat there together, Ying holding their baby and Zhuge holding them both as they thought about what the future could hold for their family. Both looked forward to the challenge of parenthood, and couldn't wait for this new part of their life to begin.


End file.
